Why serving size matters and tips to control food portion size

When it comes to managing your food intake, ‘how much’ matters just as much as ‘what’ you chose to eat. 

Especially when in a social setting or during an event. Serving sizes are often overlooked but might be the main culprit for the lack of progress in your fitness journey.

How does Serving Size Affect your Calorie Intake?

Lets talk about pop-corn. When does seemingly harmless, innocent, and fluffy-looking popcorn get a little too risky for health? When it comes in a tub.

How many calories in pop-corn?

A small one contains about 9-11 cups of popcorn. A bigger one has about 20 cups. A small one can fill you up like a meal with 560 calories, the bigger one can fulfill your calorie intake (1100-1200 cals) for an entire day!

But have you ever seen anyone serve you just as much as you need? No. there will be this small (yet big), big, and large size when you go to the movie theatres. And that’s the trickery of serving sizes dictated by food marketers.

Well, you never get just one tub when you are hanging out with your gang. And with fistful, after fistful of popcorn getting munched, you never really care about how much of this addictive thing is going down your esophagus. There goes your health goal!

Problem number 2 is the amount of salt (read: sodium) and other toppings (butter/caramel/cheese) that go with it. Did you know that with a tablespoon of butter, you are adding about 9g of fat? And 63% of the fat in butter is saturated. There goes your cholesterol level.

The amount we eat is as big a problem as what we eat. 

When you use a hazelnut spread which one looks more like the one you actually eat?

Do you prefer it with a cheese slice?”
“Yes please, single cheese”
“That will be an addition of 51 calories” (said no one ever)

These addictive foods tend to make you forget about healthy portions.

Rice is healthy and a great source of carbs but it becomes a problem when we have two platefuls instead of one katori.

How to Tackle the Issue of Serving Size?

Here are 3 simple ways:

1. Eat slowly :

Wait after eating a meal or snack. There is about a 10-minute lag between the stomach getting full and the brain getting that signal. So take a 10 min break and you’ll see that ravenous hunger go away. This is a good way to avoid overeating.

2. Stay Hydrated :

Our brain finds it tough to differentiate between hunger and thirst. So when you’re hungry, first have a glass of water. Then check again. 

3. Use small plates  :

The bigger the plate, the larger the portion size. So nip the problem in the bud. Here is a quick guide on portion sizes for reference!

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

1. Why should we eat slowly?

A. There is about a 10-minute lag between the stomach getting full and the brain getting that signal. Therefore we should eat slowly and wait after eating a meal or snack.

1. Can dehydration be mistaken for hunger?

A. Dehydration can be mistaken for hunger. Our brain finds it tough to differentiate between hunger and thirst. So when you’re hungry, first have a glass of water. Then check again.